Influx of Foreign-Born Workers Drove 2024 US Labor Force Growth

Foreign-born workers drove US labor force growth for another year in 2024, providing a last boost for the job market before President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown was set in motion.

Some 1.2 million immigrants joined the US workforce in 2024, more than offsetting a decline in the number of native workers, Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed Tuesday. The nation’s 32.3 million foreign-born workers — legal and undocumented — now represent a record 19.2% of the labor force.

The services sector largely took advantage of the immigrant workforce. The share of foreign-born workers in transportation grew to 9.2% in ...